Darn, more water woes!

Monday afternoon (September 16th), I was taking a walk around the house with the dogs when I noticed that the bottom of the pump house looked muddy.  So, I walked over and investigated.  Crap!  A big mud puddle!

So, first thing yesterday morning John and Josh went out to start the next round of repairs.  This of course meant we had no water all day.  Not really a problem for us, because we keep about 40 gallons of distilled water on hand at all times.  And I can always flush a toilet with water from our "pond" water tank.  We also have a Big Berky water filter that's full at all times.  I've written about water storage in a previous post.

A big muddy mess.

So, Josh started digging.  First, they had to completely remove the pump house.  Then Josh started digging.  Yucky work, for sure!

Starting to dig.

Digging on hands & knees is no fun!

See the exposed pipe?  That had to be reattached.

After he finally dug down to the pipes, he had to find what the problem was.  And it looks like the "patch" done last time the pipes were leaking had failed.  Crap!
 
So, we made a trip to the hardware store in Highland.   B & B Supply.  They had what we needed.  Some clamps, some pipe and some Rain or Shine pipe cement.  Josh used to work at Lowes in Ellijay, GA so he knew exactly what to look for. 

After another hour or so, he got the pipe connected back together.  The water works!  Hurray!

Of course, you know they had to have puppy dog supervision for this dirty task.

Peanut and Cricket

Doggy supervisors

Thankfully, it was only 85 yesterday and not 100! 

John set out a live trap last night and there was that armadillo in there this morning.  He won't be digging under our pump house any more!  Peanut was excited about t varmit removal.  Cricket didn't want anything to do with that stinky weird looking thing.  She decided the front porch dog house was a safe place to be.

A beautiful fall morning

I know it's not "technically" Autumn.  Not until next Friday, but this morning was very fall-like.  It was 52F when I got up this morning.  I had to put a sweater on to talk the dogs for their morning walk.

I like the crispness of fall.  I like the way the air feels and the sound of crunchy leaves under my feet.

John and Joshua got busy with the tractor this morning and finally got a chance to move some of the sections of the tree we had removed back in July.  Some of it can be used for lumber, the rest will be firewood.  Here a quick picture I took from the kitchen window.  John was talking to Josh about using the different levers (I think)...  not really sure because I wasn't close enough to hear the conversation.

Meanwhile, I was pulling grass and weeds out of the front walkway.  The dogs were hanging out near by.    Here's the link to the video.
Peanut and Cricket playing

Yesterday, our friend Michelle Friend came over to spend the day.  We spent about an hour and each painted a silk scarf.  Here's how mine came out.

Silk scarf painted with Setasilk paint

I got the scarves and paint from Dharma Trading Company.  They have wonderful products!  Dharma Trading Company sundyeing kit .

On the first weekend of October we'll be participating in the Hardy Homesteader's Day at Loberg Park in Hardy, AR.  Our friends Gena Stout, Jerry Friend and Michelle Friend will be in our display with us.  We'll be spinning, weaving and talking with the public.  We dress in period clothes.  Here's a picture or two from last year.

Gena Stout weaving on a triangular loom.  The shawl she has on was woven the previous year.

Josh and John get the spinning wheels set up.

Getting a new puppy

Last Friday, I saw an ad of Facebook for free puppies in our area.  After a bit of phone tag and texting I finally arranged to go look at the little critters.

When I got there, I was met by the gentleman and the mama dog.  She seemed friendly enough.  The man was very nice, let me look at all the puppies.  I got them out of the kennel and looked them over.  One puppy in particular struck me.  Rather small compared to the others and much thinner.  She came right to me & didn't whimper or squeal when I picked her up.  I took her home.

She didn't have a good ride in the car.  She howled.  She cried.  She threw up all over.

And then she had diarrhea.  And vomited some more.  John was very upset with me for bringing home a puppy in such a sad state.  I stayed up all night with her.  She had to go outside every 45 minutes or so!  Oh the poor little thing!

I took her to the vet first thing on Saturday morning.  We take our pets to Shaw Veterinary Clinic in Highland, AR.  Their great.  They've been in business for 30 year.  They've provided care to both Rusty and Peanut these past 7 years.  When Peanut was bitten by the snake earlier this year, we took her there.  We've boarded our pets there.  Very nice.    Shaw Vet Clinic

I had to give them a name to open a new file.  Earlier that morning, I'd been trying to get the pup to come to me by calling her with different names.  The only name she responded to was Cricket.  So, Cricket it is.

Doctor Roger looked the puppy over and said she'd need to stay for the morning.  She had worms (tests would be done to see which kind) and ringworms.  He'd also test her for parvo and get her all cleaned up.

Josh and I went  back at 11:45 to pick her up.  She was all ready.  It turns out she had 3 different kinds of worms (round, hook and tapeworms!), some intestinal parasite which we got medication for, and ringworms (actually a fungus).  No wonder the poor little thing was so thin!  No parvo, thank goodness. 

We brought her home.  She slept most of that day, and wouldn't eat.  But by Sunday morning she'd passed all those worms and was looking for some food.  Man, was she hungry!

After recuperating these past few days, she's really turning out to be a very nice puppy.  Playful, smart and friendly.  And I'm sure she'll have accidents, but she already knows to go to the door to go outside!  She's only 8 weeks old!  WOW!

Here's a picture of our new little cutie.  I'm smitten!

Guess who wants all the toys....